I cannot begin to tell you how I got started working with the Sterns Family Papers. But I can tell you that before opening those three boxes, I had a below-average interest in the civil war. Having gone through the American public school system, I learned about the civil war at least once every schoolContinue reading “The Individuals in History”
Category Archives: Collection Connection
Remembering Earl Rogers, the University of Iowa’s Archivist from 1970 to 1998
We are sorry to note that Earl Rogers, the University of Iowa’s archivist from 1970 to 1998, passed away early Wednesday morning at his home in Iowa City following a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 77. Earl was born May 2, 1938, in Moline, Illinois. He received the bachelor of science degree inContinue reading “Remembering Earl Rogers, the University of Iowa’s Archivist from 1970 to 1998”
The Detroit News Menu Cook Book
In August of 1920, a radio station under the name “8MK” was launched for The Detroit Evening News. Later named “WWJ”, it was the first radio station with daily programs. Less than a year after the station was launched, the radio show “Hints to Housewives” was created and later, “Tonight’s Dinner by Radio”. TheContinue reading “The Detroit News Menu Cook Book”
Aldus Manutius: A man with a plan, a printshop, and a pretty sweet colophon
Aldus Manutius was born in Italy during the Italian Renaissance. He became the leading printer of his time and is responsible for many literary accomplishments, including the invention of italic type for use in a printing press and the semicolon. Most importantly, Manutius was one of the first people to publish small, pocket editions ofContinue reading “Aldus Manutius: A man with a plan, a printshop, and a pretty sweet colophon”
First Edition of The Tale of Peter Rabbit
July 28th marks the 148th birthday of Beatrix Potter: illustrator, natural scientist, conservationist, and, of course, world-famous author of The Tale of Peter Rabbit. Here at the University of Iowa, we are fortunate enough to have a copy of one of the first printings of this charming tale, which according to our acquisition papers, was previously ownedContinue reading “First Edition of The Tale of Peter Rabbit”
The Boy Scouts: A Cultural History through Handbooks
What follows is a guest post from one of our student workers, Shawn Conley, an Eagle Scout and Boy Scout memorabilia collector. Since its founding more than a century ago, the Boy Scouts of America has striven to turn young men into well-rounded individuals and citizens of our society. Lord Baden-Powell, the founder of theContinue reading “The Boy Scouts: A Cultural History through Handbooks”
World War II Map of Occupied Countries
Today is Veterans Day so we want to share this 1943 map of occupied countries, noted in gray. The legend reads: “Help erase the gray blots on this map by buying U. S. war bonds and stamps.” This map is part of the John N. Calhoun Papers. Calhoun lived in Burlington, Iowa. After earning his lawContinue reading “World War II Map of Occupied Countries”
New from the International Dada Archives
Three major new acquisitions from Dada’s transitional period of 1919-1920 document that movement’s spread beyond its World War I origins in neutral Switzerland to the key cultural centers of Europe during the early postwar era. Francis Picabia was one of the chief agents for the propagation of the Dada movement, and his periodical 391 wasContinue reading “New from the International Dada Archives”
New Leigh Hunt Manuscripts
This past spring was a good season for acquisitions in Special Collections, Leigh Hunt material not least among them. Not only did we pick up Percy Shelley’s personal copy of Hunt’s Feast of the Poets—a spectacular association copy, as Hunt and Shelley were remarkably close friends—but we acquired four Leigh Hunt manuscripts. Two of theseContinue reading “New Leigh Hunt Manuscripts”
Identifying our 4mm Miniature Book
The University of Iowa Special Collections and University Archives is home to the Charlotte Smith Collection of miniature books with more than 4,000 tiny tomes. Most perplexing has been this microscopic Bible that remained unidentified, likely because we lacked the tools to adequately magnify the page with the publisher’s information. Highlighting this tiny book yesterday on our social media pages brought itContinue reading “Identifying our 4mm Miniature Book”